Sure. Taking the emotions out of it, it'd be a lot easier to see both sides of this. But, how many fans aren't emotional about their team(s)? It's
a lot easier for most to be completely against this than all for it. Heck, it's hard to even be "okay with it".
AP isn't just "a great running back". He's much more than that, and he's a heck of a lot more than that to Vikings fans. Trading away our best player for "what if, maybe, I hope so" draft picks is extremely risky.
Extremely. We know what AP brings us, and we have no clue what those draft picks will or won't do. So, is it worth it? Don't know. As far as his contract--and it hurting us in the future--I'm willing to bet AP will rework it to do what is best for the team. For now, no one should gripe about it. Unlike most of the guys on our team, he earns his paycheck once in a while!
If we trade away AP, I'm going to begin questioning if we should even bother drafting our offensive playmakers within the first few rounds at all. Heck, what for? We'll just prove to the rest of the NFL that they were as advertised and we'll let them walk or trade them away still in their prime: Harvin, Rice, AP? Why even draft playmakers anymore? So we can recognize their worth and let them go--and hope and pray we find a replacement in the next draft? Might as well focus on the offensive line and defense. Forget the rest. And knowing how this team works, those draft picks we might get for AP probably aren't likely to be long-term solutions anyway because they'll either A). Not pan out or B). Go elsewhere eventually preventing a true long-term solution even if we nailed it. What is this team even doing?
Hard to "build through the draft" when the picks don't stick around when they're good or DO when they're bad!!! There goes that genius idea.
As far as people saying, "I'm about the team--not individuals". That's all fine and dandy, but why do people say that in the same breath as they say "Peterson needs to go somewhere he can win. He's going nowhere here. This team is garbage. He deserves a ring". Yeah? So which is it? Is Peterson bigger than the team or not? I want Peterson to get a ring, too--but
with the Vikings. If he went somewhere else and got a ring is that going to help me feel any better about the Vikings?! No! I'd be happy for him as an individual, but that still does me no good as a Vikings fan. It makes me feel better to watch an amazing athlete give it his all on Sundays
for the Vikings. He might win a Super Bowl and he might not. Selfishness or not, I want him on the Vikings. What are the chances he wins a Super Bowl with someone else anyway? Maybe more likely than with the Vikes, but still unlikely. So? I'd rather watch him "waste it" with the Vikes than watch him "waste it" with some other team. Sorry.
Also, quit feeling sorry for these players who don't win championships like it's some kind of life or death situation. It's not. So many great athletes miss out on championships. So? It is to be expected. That doesn't take away from their individual greatness. They shouldn't feel
too badly about it and neither should you. You can't measure a player just by the championships. Some great players miss out completely--just as some garbage players find themselves fortunate enough to be on championship teams, all while they've contributed very little. Peterson has a WHOLE LOTTA money and a heck of a lot to be proud of--
even as a Viking!
Do you think he alone puts butts in seats? Watch how many butts show up at the Humpty Dome when the Vikings are something like 1-7, despite having the league MVP and Minnesota media darling in the backfield. Peterson's value to this team is grossly overrated.
